AI can scale your outreach. People still close the deal.

I help pre-seed to Series A founders figure out what customers will pay for, turn it into a sales motion that runs with AI, and win the conversations that still need a person.

Tell me where you're stuck →

Inbox57 unread

Jordan ReyesQuick question about your Q3 pipeline

8:02

Alex ChenSaw you're hiring. Worth 15 minutes?

8:14

Sam PatelFollowing up on my last three emails

8:31

Accepted: Maria at your office, Thursday 2:00Following up on our call. Bringing the contract.

9:05

Taylor BrooksHelping teams like yours grow faster

9:20

Riley MorganBumping this to the top of your inbox

9:42

Your buyer's inbox. Five AI emails, ignored.One person, in the room.

What I believe

The more sales gets automated, the more the human part matters.

AI now writes the emails, researches the accounts and books the meetings, for you and for every competitor in your buyer's inbox. When everyone can reach everyone, buyers choose the people they trust. I build sales motions that use every AI tool worth using, and put your people where they make the difference.

ResearchAI
OutreachAI
BookingAI
DiscoveryPerson
NegotiationPerson
The closePerson

AI handles the busywork. Then it's the phone call, the visit, the handshake: the person across the table who earns the trust and gets the deal signed.

How I work

Step 1

Find the value.

What do your best customers actually buy, and what would they pay more for? We pin down the customer, the problem, the pitch and the price.

Step 2

Build the motion.

Turn it into something repeatable: who to target, how to reach them, what happens on every call, and which AI tools take the busywork off your team.

Step 3

Put people where they matter.

Coach founders and reps on discovery and negotiation, hire the right first sellers, and work the big deals alongside you.

Where founders get stuck

Pre-seed, seed and Series A. B2B SaaS, B2C SaaS, platforms and marketplaces, AI products.

You're still the only one who can sell, and the playbook lives in your head.That's me → Your first sales hire didn't work out, or you don't know who to hire or when.That's me → You're moving into enterprise, and big deals stall in procurement, security reviews and long cycles.That's me → You run a marketplace and one side won't fill.That's me →

From the corner restaurant to the Fortune 500.

I've sold almost every way there is to sell. Signing independent restaurants at Grubhub. Winning buyers in a consumer ticket marketplace at Vivid Seats. Negotiating large contracts with major vendors at Amazon. Enterprise deals at Topcoder. Contracts with hospitals and physician groups at 6 Degrees Health. That range matters early, when you're still finding out who your buyer is and how they want to buy.

Ways to work together

2–4 weeks

GTM diagnostic

A close look at your customers, pipeline, pitch and pricing, ending in a written plan you can run.

Monthly

Fractional sales leader

A seat at your table running the sales motion until you hire a full-time leader, and help hiring them.

As needed

Deal & founder coaching

Working specific enterprise deals with you, and coaching founders who are learning to sell.

Companies I'm working with

TradeWrench A service record for the equipment in every home, built from public permits and contractor records. Look up the furnace, water heater, heat pump and panel behind any address before you buy, sell or service a home. tradewrench.com ↗ Clefsy Runs the business side of a music studio, from a solo voice teacher to a school with a team of instructors. Booking, payments, students, events and instructor payroll in one place, so teachers teach more and do less admin. clefsy.com ↗ Trailmonger Offline trail maps for hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, skiing and more, with 1.5 million trails across all 50 states. Keep the map when you lose signal, track your route, and check public land, weather and cell coverage before you go. trailmonger.com ↗ About Time Tours The all-in-one app for real estate agents: clients, showings, buyer agreements, feedback and analytics in one place. Less time coordinating showings, more time with clients, on iOS, Android and the web. abouttimetours.com ↗

About

Doug Hanson

I've spent more than 20 years running and scaling businesses: Microsoft, Amazon, Grubhub, Vivid Seats, then CEO of Topcoder. I'm based in Portland, Oregon.

LinkedIn ↗

Tell me where you're stuck.

I read every one and reply myself.

Rather just talk? Book a 30-minute call → hello@pdxsales.com